Sa isinagawang Regional Marine Pollution Exercise (MARPOLEX) 2022 sa Makassar, Indonesia inihayag ni PCG Deputy Commandant for Administration, CG Vice Admiral Rolando Lizor Punzalan na lahat ng bansa ay maaring makaranas ng oil spill incident kasunod ng pagtawid ng mga barko upang suportahan ang global economy.
“Oil spill incidents will continue as long as the oceans remain our means of transporting oil efficiently. For this unavoidable nature of oil spill incidents, we gather here in the Regional MARPOLEX 2022 and think of the best ways to eliminate the harmful effects of these incidents,” saad ni Punzalan.
Dagdag nito, “We should not only develop responses to untoward incidents but, more importantly, prevent oil spills from happening through enforcing and implementing laws that protect our marine environment from pollution.”
Ayon naman kay Indonesian Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, isinagawa ang Regional MARPOLEX 2022 sa karagatang sakop ng South Sulawesi sa bahagi ng Indonesia Archipelagic Sea Lanes II dahil tungkulin nitong makonekta ang international at domestic shipping.
Nakapagtala ito ng high intensity ng shipping operations, oil and gas activities, at iba pang maritime operations sa Makassar waters.
“This certainly increases the risk of accidents resulting to oil spills that pollute and damage the marine environment. Thus, the preparedness of personnel and equipment is needed to overcome shipping disasters as assistance for the Makassar Strait area,” ani Minister Budi.
Bukod dito, ibinahagi rin ni Punzalan ang pinirmahang kasunduan ng PCG at Directorate General for Sea Transportation (DGST) ng Republic of Indonesia para sa pagtataguyod ng multilateral cooperation upang tugunan ang major spillage sa Asian region.
Kinilala rin nila ang pagtulong ng Japan Coast Guard (JCG) para matiyak ang operational readiness ng Pilipinas at Indonesia sa oil spill incidents.
“The primary focus of this gathering is to protect our marine environment. Hence, I call on our law enforcement units and shipping industry stakeholders to unite in protecting our rich marine environment,” ayon kay Punzalan.
Giit pa nito, “This joint maritime exercise between the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan symbolizes our powerful spirit of cooperation in times of emergency and disasters.”